The werewolf staggered for a second. Then the creature spun back to her, yellow eyes glaring. Sam realized she had no second act, no weapon and no chance of outrunning the creature. When all else fails, she thought, defiance.
“Fuck you,” she said to the advancing werewolf.
A blaze of yellow and black fur engulfed the werewolf’s head as an explosive snarl froze them both. The jaguar knocked the werewolf flat, almost at Samantha’s feet. She leapt backward, cracking her head on the mirror of a Hummer and fell to the rough asphalt, skinning her hands. Before her, the jaguar had the werewolf by the back of the neck, its fangs buried deep. The wolf convulsed once, then crashed to the ground. The jaguar snarled and bit again, fangs crunching into the skull. The wolf’s yellow eyes dimmed as blood poured over them.
Sam, unsure if her situation had improved, stared at the jaguar as it licked blood off its chops. Then both beasts blurred in her vision. When she could see them clearly again, the werewolf was a naked man, pitifully young. The jaguar, also naked, now stood on two legs as a redheaded woman, tall, in her twenties, with a lithe, small-breasted body that Sam might have appreciated under better circumstances.
“Most incautious,” the woman said in a husky voice, “for one who befriends a Templar.”
“Who are you?” Sam asked, annoyed that her voice sounded so high and shaky.
“Prosperine.”
Sam’s brain raced. “The witch’s familiar. You and Jeremy destroyed that coven. He saved you from being sacrificed.”
“Yes, perhaps now I can return the favor.”
Sam remembered that Prosperine wasn’t a were, but an actual jaguar, ensorcelled by an Aztec priest a thousand years ago to be a familiar. “I thought you returned to the wilds.”
Prosperine grimaced. “Too boring and too many fur-hunters. I preferred to stay by the city lights. Unfortunately, it also led to me to be caught up by the new power in town.”
“What?”
“Bora, a werewolf and a very old one, far more powerful than this cub.” She toed the body at her feet. “He dominates the weres, familiars and other animal spirits in this area. He is going to destroy Diablesse and Jeremy. Claims Diablesse is too comfortable with the forces of Light.
“Oh no,” Sam groaned, “evil fundamentalists too? Just when I thought it couldn’t get worse.” She looked at Prosperine. “I gather you weren’t planning on lunching on me yourself.”
“No,” Prosperine said with a chilling note of regret. “Shadowheart has cast a geas on me, preventing my eating humans. Otherwise I’d have made a sizeable dent in your homeless problem.”
“Oh, so you’re a Republican.”
Prosperine ignored the jibe. “Listen, Bora plans to ambush Diablesse tonight, then with his own forces added to Diablesse’s survivors, he’s coming for Jeremy.”
“And you’re playing monkey-in-the-middle,” Sam said.
“If by that you mean I want to get free of Bora and remain free of Diablesse you are right. Remember, I was made a witch’s familiar. I did not choose it and originally was a natural creature. I belong neither to the Light nor the Dark.”
“Yeah, you’re part of Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom. I get it. OK, where is the ambush going down?”
“Diablesse is involved in something he doesn’t want known. Tomorrow night at seven, he is going by himself to a function on Brevard Street, downtown. No one knows what it is, and his people aren’t talking, but he will not have his usual retinue of guards. Bora plans to destroy him there.”
“OK, I’ll let Jeremy know.” Sam left Prosperine to dispose of the dead werewolf. She preferred not to think about how.
*****
Jeremy took the news of a Satanic turf war and the return of Prosperine well.
“Holy crap!” he said.
“What do we do?” Samantha said after he ran down.
Jeremy stroked his chin. “I guess the question is whether Charlotte is better off with Diablesse or Bora?”
“Prosperine thought Bora was real bad news,” Samantha offered.
“Whereas Bob is the devil we know?” Jeremy said. “Call Debbie. Have her meet us down on Brevard. Let’s see if we can find Bob. I wish we could contact Prosperine, but I suspect we may find her down there.”
“To the Batcar,” Samantha said.
“The Hell you say,” Jeremy replied. “This is way too dangerous.”
“You need the help,” Sam insisted, “with Shadowheart out of the picture. You’ve got the blood sword; give me the Walther with some silver bullets.”
Jeremy looked a little shame-faced. “Sam, I don’t have any silver bullets. They don’t make them at Wal-Mart, you know and they’re inaccurate as hell.”
“I don’t care,” Sam said. “You’re not doing this alone. I can drive the car, at least.”
Jeremy’s expression grew thoughtful. “Silver bullets … that gives me an idea …”
*****
Brevard Street was busy with limousines and couples in fancy dress heading into the Combined Way Charity Headquarters when Sam and Jeremy arrived. What Bob Diablesse would have to do with this, neither of them could guess. They found Debbie, hanging out under a streetlamp dressed in, what was for her, a relatively subdued jacket and slacks. Her bright blonde hair was piled into a red hat.
She smiled at Jeremy. “Hey, Honey.”
“Have you seen him?”
“No.”
“But I smell him,” a new voice came.
“Prosperine,” Sam said.
The shape-shifter walked out of the shadows, tall, pale with blood-red hair flowing over her shoulders. She wore a fine-tailored suit and a pink blouse that showed off her figure.
The vampire and the witch’s familiar eyed each other coolly as Jeremy made brief introductions.
“So you smell him,” Debbie said, “anything more specific?”
“No, but he is in this area and alone. I neither smell nor sense demons, other than her.” She gestured with her head toward Debbie.
“That’s Victoria Secret’s Heavenly, you’re getting, Kitty,” Debbie returned.
“Let’s split up,” Jeremy said. “Search for Diablesse.”
“I’m a little underdressed for black tie and tails,” Sam said, gesturing at her jacket and jeans.
“We’ll have to make the best of it,”
“I’ll work the crowd,” Debbie said.
“Naturally,” Prosperine said.
Debbie’s eye’s developed a vampiric shimmer.
“What will you do?” Jeremy interjected.
“Switch back to my natural form so I can sense what is going on.”
“Run around as a jaguar?” Debbie said. “Better watch out, sweetie. Lot of women might like to wear you around their shoulders.”
“A black jaguar,” Prosperine said archly. “Human senses are so dull they rarely detect me, until it is too late.”
“Sounds good,” Jeremy said.
“Come with me,” Prosperine said to Sam. “I’ll give you my clothes. You can throw them in Jeremy’s car.” She turned her back and swayed into the darkness.
Sam grinned at Jeremy. “Rooowwrrr,” she said and followed.
Debbie winked. “See you later, honey.”
*****
With Prosperine’s clothes tucked in the car, Jeremy and Sam prowled Brevard Street among the illuminati of Charlotte, looking for Bob Diablesse. They watched women in evening wear and men uncomfortable in tuxes as they went into the building. Jeremy looked about until he found an unguarded side door and picked the lock.
*****
Debbie found herself distracted by thoughts she’d never expected to have again as she walked the alley behind Combined Way. She’d worked with Jeremy since he’d arrived in Charlotte. True, his original hunt for her ended up with him tied to her bedposts, but their arrangements had been beneficial to both in subsequent adventures. She’d been the one to warn Jeremy against developing any emotional attachment to her, turning as
ide any attempt to see her, save when they were working together. She was no good for the living, despite the best of intentions, and she was never sure that her intentions were the best. She was a creature of darkness, controlled and benevolent as far as that went, but her motivations were selfish by her very nature. She had no moral compass; the needle simply spun.
That had worked for them both until she learned of Prosperine. The witch’s familiar seemed to have a similar arrangement with Jeremy. The familiar was not a human woman but clearly had some interest in the young man and place in his regard. Debbie hadn’t minded that Jeremy couldn’t be hers, until she realized he might end up being someone else’s.
She shook her head. “I’m being stupid. Jaguar can’t have any interest in the boy beyond a meal.”
Something struck her from behind, slamming her into the pavement with tremendous force. A large hand came down on the vampire’s hand, wrenching off her ring with its white stone.
As her consciousness flickered out, she heard a voice growl. “You’re right. You were being stupid….”
*****
Prosperine padded down a Charlotte street, moving from shadow to shadow under the streetlights, often close by people who did not sense the lurking black jaguar. As she passed an underground garage, her nose tickled at the scent of wolves. She stalked down the ramp past an oblivious lot attendant, heading for the lower levels
Crap, she thought, I've got to get a collar or something I can keep a cell phone on. Be nice to call for backup. But if I change back to human, I’ll just be naked.
As Prosperine came around a large van, the smell of catnip nearly overwhelmed her senses. A plate of it lay there, as alluring as a fresh kill.
The scent was so overpowering that it took her a second to feel the net as it dropped around her. She came off her feet as the net tightened…
*****
Sam and Jeremy walked backstage as the dull roar of hundreds of the well-to-do talking, filled the hall. Bad rock music played loudly.
A prim woman stopped them. “Can I help you?” she said, actually meaning, “Who the hell are you?”
Jeremy handed her a business card.
“Tech-support To Go,” she read. “You must be here about our internet problems,” she said, adjusting her glasses. “About time.”
Jeremy nodded and she wandered off.
They walked up to a second-floor balcony, watching the crowd.
“There he is,” Jeremy said, pointing.
Bob Diablesse walked onstage to thunderous applause. Jeremy’s jaw hung slack as Diablesse addressed the crowd. “As you know, we have had some difficult times in Combined Way, but the needs of the community have never been greater and no organization is better suited….”
The speech that followed was an amazing mix of platitudes and aphorisms on raising funds for the poor and getting the Combined Way back to its core mission of helping the downtrodden. For the life of him Jeremy could not figure what the local demon lord was up to. They made their way down the stairs backstage.
Bob came off stage, shaking hands and slapping backs. He turned, hand outstretched, and took Jeremy’s before he realized who it was. The smile froze on the demon’s face as he looked at them.
“Would you all excuse me?” Bob said to the crowd. “I see some special friends.”
The others drifted off. The three of them faced each other.
“Bob?”
“Hello, Jeremy.”
“What are you doing here, alone, unarmed at a Combined Way fundraiser?” Jeremy asked
The demon looked simultaneously embarrassed and defensive. “Hey, Combined Way does a lot of good.”
“Precisely.”
“Look, you probably heard about the trouble they were in, scandals over compensation and where the money went—”
Jeremy nodded. “It was all over the papers: resignations, investigative committees.”
“Some of my less-disciplined colleagues were involved in that, doing a little work on the side. They caused me to lose face, and I arranged to return the favor. There was no way I could turn down the Chamber of Commerce when they asked for help, not and maintain my position in Charlotte. You’re not the only one with a cover here. I get a lot more scrutiny than you do.
“But it wouldn’t look good for me to be seen doing good. I have a rather traditional bureaucracy to answer to.”
“Tell me about it,” Jeremy said with feeling. “But you don’t think your side will hear about this?”
Bob gave him a scornful look. “You think demons scan the society page or listen to NPR?”
“Guess not,” Jeremy said.
“So now you know,” Bob growled. “I’m going to trust to your Templar discretion on this.”
“I’m not your problem. We need to get out of here. There’s an incredibly powerful werewolf named Bora hunting you. He may be more than a match for the two of us, so I brought reinforcements: Prosperine and Debbie. We have to get you out of here and back to a secure location.”
Bob stared in disbelief. “You’re helping me? Very tender of you and why should I believe so-”
“Diablesse,” Jeremy said, wearily. “I think you should burn in the ninth ring of hell—”
“Thank you,” Bob said.
“--but I suspect Bora would be worse. So I am saving your horned ass.”
Bob studied him. “You’re serious.”
“Yes, the back way. Now.”
Bob considered. “Let me say goodnight to a few people”
“Quickly,” Jeremy said.
As the demon turned to make his apologies to his guests, Jeremy gestured to Sam. “Call Debbie. We have no way to reach Prosperine but she’ll find us.”
Sam fiddled with her phone. “No answer, went to voicemail. Maybe she’s out of bars.”
“Or maybe,” Jeremy replied grimly, “Bora is already here.”
The lights suddenly cut out. People gasped. Emergency lights flicked on. For a split second, in the light of one of them, Jeremy saw a distorted shape. Yellow eyes flared in a face caught between man and animal. Then it was gone.
“He’s between us and the front door,” Diablesse said.
“Only good news is that he appears to be alone,” Jeremy said, eyes narrowing.
“We can take him,” Sam declared.
They looked at her.
“Can’t we?”
“Maybe,” Jeremy said, “a werewolf is incredibly durable. If we fight in this crowded hall…”
“Not to mention any survivors would have seen things they shouldn’t,” Bob added
Sam chewed her lip. “Is there a Plan B?”
“Yeah,” Diablesse replied. “Run like hell out the back door.”
“I’m liking it,” Jeremy added.
They shoved their way through the crowd of partygoers, who perhaps through some primal instinct, were increasingly uneasy. In the distance a woman screamed, followed by a man's hoarse shout. Panic gripped the crowd behind them as they raced out a fire door leading to an alley. Jeremy was debating which way to run when something burst through a second-floor window above them and landed with a snarl among some fenced-in power equipment to their left.
“Exit stage right,” Bob said, running as if the devil was chasing him, which with Bob’s career had probably happened.
They ran through darkened alleys, over pedestrian walkways and through underground garages. People stared at them and stepped out of their way in suspicion. The werewolf pursuing them was only occasionally visible and Jeremy got the impression they were being herded.
They emerged at street level opposite St Peter’s. Sam made a beeline for the church door. Jeremy followed for lack of any better plan.
Bob had been so intent on their back trail that the demon didn’t notice their destination until they were on top of the ornate wooden doors. He skidded to a halt. “Whoa, I can’t go in there.”
Argument died on Jeremy’s lips. The werewolf was emerging from the garage they
had just left, loping toward them at an easy pace. It wore no clothes now and looked like an immense wolf balanced on two human-looking legs.
“Sam, get inside,” Jeremy grated, drawing the bloodsword from its concealed sheath in the leather longcoat. The red gem in its hilt winked balefully at the oncoming beast.
Sam opened the door but lingered, unwilling to abandon Jeremy. Bob grinned, showing fangs that hadn’t been there before. “Let’s see if these wolves are as tough as everybody says.”
None of them were prepared when Bora pulled up well short of them, reached into the leather pouch strapped over his shoulder and pulled out a large revolver.
Bob and Jeremy were so shocked they simply stared, but Sam reached forward, grabbed Jeremy’s coat and hauled him backwards. A shot cracked the stonework where Jeremy had stood. He fell backwards into the church and tried to get his feet under him.
Bob wasn’t so lucky; bullets thudded into the demon. Bora tossed the revolver and charged Bob with blinding speed, hurling the demon into Jeremy and Sam. They were all thrown into the church. Jeremy’s sword flew from his grip as he struck a pillar before caroming into church pews. Bob flew over Jeremy and crashed into the pews. Sam, protected by both their bodies, slid right up the center aisle.
Bob struggled to his feet, black fluid leaking down the front of his chest. He stared around him in horror. “No, no, not Holy Ground!” then slumped down between the seats, unconscious or dead.
Bora laughed as Jeremy staggered to his feet, the werewolf reached behind to seal the church doors.
Broken bones grated in Jeremy’s right arm; pain made his eyes tear. To his shock he saw Prosperine, in jaguar form, bound and netted and lying beside the door. Next to where Diablesse had crashed to the ground, lay Debbie, bound by ropes she should have been able to break. The vampire lay utterly still, her face waxy and corpselike. Her eyes were slits, but they glittered; she was still aware but weak.
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